Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Little Bit of Class Tuesday and Christmas Train!!!

Hi there, loves!

Sorry it's been a while. I read how a bunch of you are taking a blog holiday hiatus, so I figured that not posting for a week is permissible. I have a bunch of catch-up to do on this classy Tuesday, but I will distribute all of my content over the next few days. First, of course, here's your weekly dose of class via my Pinterest "Classy" board.

Now on to my first in a series of holiday posts. This is dedicated to the Chicago Christmas Train!!!

Every year the CTA transforms an average train into a completely decked-out holiday sleigh! It ran on certain days during the Christmas season, each day on a different train line. Andrew knew how much I wanted to see it so he followed the online schedule for me since I am lazy and he is sweet. It worked out one day that the train would go through a stop on my way home from work. I waited for about 20 minutes for a few trains to pass, probably making people around me think I'm weird for hanging out at the train stop. I kept tweeting about it and as it got closer to arrival I noticed that the platform got more crowded.

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear, a sparkly train with people grinning ear to ear!

I had it in my head that if it was too crowded I would let it pass, but once I heard the carols I simply couldn't pass it up!

The train was covered from floor to ceiling in decorations. The seats had new festive upholstery and all of the advertisements were transformed into Christmas jokes and warm wishes from the CTA crew.

Everyone on the train was smiling, even though it was packed tighter than trains post-Cubs games. I loved to listen to the music as we passed through each station.

Eventually the train became less and less crowded, and the people on the platforms at every station kept snapping pictures. Maureen even saw the train at the Fullterton stop, saw my Instagram pics, and texted me! Great timing!

When the train pulled into my stop I was sad to leave, but excited to see Santa! Plus, all of the lights on the train look really cool from the outside stations!

In place of the center car was Santa himself, ho-ho-ho-ing all the way down the Red Line!

This train sure put me in the Christmas spirit. I spoke with a few passengers who said they have lived in Chicago for years and years and have never seen the train. I feel so lucky to not only have seen the train, but also RODE in it in my first year here! I called Andrew and my parents on my walk home from the station, bouncing with excitement! It was amazing!!!